


Like a darkness in the night

by BeanBean8



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Mother Panic (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Gotham City - Freeform, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I have no idea what I'm doing, what is canon?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 19:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeanBean8/pseuds/BeanBean8
Summary: 'If you asked a street rat about Gotham, he would smile at you and let out a laugh. He would tell you that Gotham is like a mother, caring and nurturing, but tough with her lessons. She would show you how to survive, but only if you listened closely enough. Then as he would run off, you’d notice that your pockets were empty.'All cities are alive, and sometimes they grant blessings to their children. Gotham is no exception.





	Like a darkness in the night

All cities had magic. It was sort of a secret. Those with open minds and wide eyes could find beauty and comfort in the concrete mazes, but those who dismissed such claims would never be shown proof that said otherwise. Of course, each city was different. They all had their own personality, feelings, loves and heartbreaks. And all showed their appreciation of their citizens differently.

Metropolis loved everyone in her reach. She blessed her citizens with shining lights and sunny days, fresh air and green trees. When they built glimmering skyscrapers, she cleared her clouds and gave them beautiful views. And when she was given a saviour, a man in blue and red, she gave him everything she could. Metropolis loved her heroes, and she loved each of her children. And everyone knew it.

Star City was quite the opposite. Star City suffered from her children, and gave up hope of loving her inhabitants. She left them to fight on her soil, to tumble and rebuild in a cycle that she could never see ending. Sure, she had her archer, but Star City could never love in the way that places like Metropolis could. Few people could gain Star’s favour, and eventually it was deemed foolish for someone to try.

To most outsiders, Gotham was similar. They saw the endless chaos and death that the city seemed to embrace, and branded her as a cruel and unforgiving battleground. It was easy for someone to only see a nightmare made of gargoyles and stone, never looking past the history of blood and corruption that seeped into the dirt that lay below flickering lights. Some even suggested that Gotham hated her children, and was enacting a punishment upon them for the centuries of horror unleashed within her limits. But this wasn’t quite true.

If you asked a businessman about Gotham, then he would look you straight in the eyes and twirl the champagne in his glass. He would tell you that she was an entity of destruction who thrived upon the conflict and corruption. Then he would laugh and look out of his window, gazing over the smog covered buildings below, smiling as he texts his associates the address of his next heist.

If you asked a street rat about Gotham, he would smile at you and let out a laugh. He would tell you that Gotham is like a mother, caring and nurturing, but tough with her lessons. She would show you how to survive, but only if you listened closely enough. Then as he would run off, you’d notice that your pockets were empty.

But one thing anyone would tell you is that Gotham loved her protectors. They’d speak of times the lighting was just right, or a narrow miss with a truck, and insist that Gotham adored her bats and birds. This was true.

Bruce Wayne had never truly been embraced by Gotham until the fateful night his parents were killed. Until then, he had never felt her shadow, or felt her presence curling through the dark alleyway as she felt two of her children bleed onto her concrete. She had watched him ever since, subtly guiding him to a bright future as a businessman. He had left with her blessing, and when he returned he repaid her kindness. Each night, she shrouded him in her shadows and lent her intuition to him. Subtle whispers in his ear guided him to each of his foes, and Gotham couldn’t have been prouder of her dark protector. When he needed help, she would always nudge the scales of fate in his favour, a diversion here and a conveniently placed lead there. Batman was one of her children, and he repaid every kindness she gave him.

Dick Grayson wasn’t one of Gotham. He was born far from her filthy air, and yet when he sobbed over two bodies in the center ring of a circus, she decided that he would be hers. Just a small nudge, and her faithful bat had the light that he needed to balance his darkness. She had never expected Dick to repay her in a red and yellow costume, yet he jumped to defend a city that was not his own. What could she do except keep her newfound child alive. He would never truly know why his grappling hooks almost always caught, or why the sky was clear whenever he was diving from a building with beautiful grace. And when he left for Blüdhaven, Gotham made sure her sister knew how much this child was willing to give. And though her sister never loved Nightwing as Gotham did, she knew that her bird would be alright.

Barbara Gordon grew into Gotham’s affections. She was always cautious of accepting the shadowy presence of Gotham until she became another of her defenders. As Batgirl, she learnt to trust the city, and in return she was given the same gifts that had been bequeathed to her bat and her bird. Gotham was proud of Barbara, and when she had made the painful transition to Oracle, Gotham had remained by her side. Satellites became angled ‘just right’, and she made sure that she did everything in her power to assist Oracle in her digital battles. And when her fiery Batgirl had flown once more, Gotham supported her every step of the way.

Jason Todd’s first breaths had been that of filthy Gotham smog. He had grown in her alleys, and she had guided him towards every open pocket and unguarded car he needed. She had been far from a patient teacher, but he had learnt her lessons quickly, and became a survivor. And when he had slept on her streets, she had tried her best to keep him safe from harm. When he was taken by her bat, she had expected him to fly as Grayson had, and he didn’t disappoint. She strived to protect her child, so when he fell in a country far from her embrace, she wept. And when he returned to her, helmet as red as the blood he spilled, she clung to him. Even when he left once more with his Outlaws, she knew her wayward child would return to her. And when he did, she would give him every blessing he needed to deal with her dangers.

Tim Drake was another who had barely touched Gotham. She had watched, but he had never truly connected to her until he found her bat. Each night, as he crept out to photograph her protectors, she would make sure he had a clear shot. It was the least she could do for a curious child. But when he had taken the mantle that was thought forever gone, she embraced him as she had her other birds. Whispers in his ear got him further than her well placed gargoyles and jammed weapons ever could. She was proud of her detective. So when he had run to find her bat, she asked the other cities that he be protected. Gotham did not want to lose another child beyond her boundaries. Even as he ran around, gathering his group of teen heroes and saving lives, he was protected at the request of the city that would always be his home.

Stephanie Brown came from the same route of life that her wayward Robin had, and Gotham loved her almost as much as she had him. As she grew up, Gotham had kept a watchful eye on her as she did to all of her young children. When she had dressed in purple and leapt out into the night, Gotham shrouded her in darkness that her costume failed to provide. She didn’t help Spoiler as much as she did her birds, but kept her alive and well. Spoiler protected Gotham, and Gotham responded in kind.

Damian Wayne was of Gotham blood, but had never touched her murky ground until he found her bat. He was sceptical of Gotham’s intentions, and that amused her. She could never fully embrace him, he never allowed her to, but she still loved him as her own. When he needed help, she would give him it. When he died, she wept as she had before, and when he returned she promised to do better. Even if he did wrong, Gotham would always have Damian’s back, no matter what.

Cassandra Cain was a conundrum Gotham had yet to decipher. She wasn’t one of her own, yet took to her shadows so gracefully. Gotham could never quite embrace her, but offered her gentle help. Whatever Cassandra needed nudging, the city would be happy to oblige. She didn’t stay in Gotham for long, but would return. Gotham knew she would, and she was ready to accept another child into her fold.

Violet Paige was a passing storm in Gotham. The city had never been kind to her, but it made no difference, it only made Violet stronger. She hadn’t stayed for long in Gotham, just long enough to make an impression on the ancient city, before she disappeared. But somehow, she knew that a Gotham of another world had her white protector. And she was certain that her new Gotham would welcome her new child with open arms. It wasn’t as if the city had a choice.

And decades in the future, Gotham would look down on Terry McGuinness, her new protector. He would remind her of her past bats and birds. And like the many heroes before, Gotham would take him into her filthy arms and offer him the world in return for her protection. And the young man, for better or for worse, would forever be another of Gotham’s beloved heroes.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be honest, I had no idea what I was doing when I wrote this. I missed a few characters out, and maybe got a little canon jumbled, but it doesn't matter too much. This is my first Batman fanfic, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. I might write some more about this idea.


End file.
